Listed by Cynthia Serra and Dan Casper of Smith & Associates Real Estate, the 3,198 square foot home was built by William (W.L) Straub. Straub served as the editor of the St. Petersburg Times, now known as the Tampa Bay Times, for 38 years and was a prominent civic figure in the city’s history. He crusaded to convert St. Pete’s waterfront into a public park, which is now named in his honor, and was known as a positive champion for the region. Straub is credited with helping to establish Pinellas County in 1912.
More recently, the Straub family was involved in the restoration of the Vinoy Hotel in the late 1990s. The Vinoy Hotel, originally opened in 1925, had faced a period of severe decline but was restored to its former glory through significant renovations and efforts led by the Straub family. The restoration project was completed in 1992.
W.L. Straub’s historic home has four bedrooms, each with a walk-in closet. The home has three bathrooms, two that are ensuite. Additional features include a detached oversized two-car garage accessible from the alley, with room for a workshop. Above the garage, there is a walk-up income-producing efficiency apartment, currently leased.
In 2022, a large deck with low-maintenance TREX composite boards was built, providing an inviting outdoor space for gatherings along with several other outdoor living areas, including the welcoming front porch, a side porch off the dining room, and private balconies off the upstairs bedrooms.
The kitchen, featuring butcher block counters and a spacious gathering table, overlooks the backyard and opens to a casual living space with one of the home’s two wood-burning fireplaces.
Throughout the home, period lighting, original Cuban tile, and heart of pine floors evoke a sense of a bygone era. Serra describes the home as “modern with an ode to one of St. Pete’s original trailblazers.”
Click HERE for high-resolution photos. Photo credit James Ostrand Photography.
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Founded in 1969, Smith & Associates Real Estate is Tampa Bay’s largest independent and locally-owned real estate brokerage, with a commitment to exceptional service and superior market knowledge. Deeply embedded in the community and comprised of five strategically located offices & six new development sales galleries in the Tampa Bay area, along with a London office at Mayfair International Realty. The company employs 267 associates, an annual sales volume of $2.15 billion, and over 2,359 transactions a year. Smith & Associates Real Estate is the number one luxury brokerage firm of $1M + residences with 12.9% of the market share and an average price of $2.12M* (*average of luxury transactions as of December 31, 2022). The company completes six daily transactions and is a nationally recognized leader in the Real Estate industry. Through its philanthropic giving program, Smith has donated $1.5M to community organizations. In 2022, Smith staff and associates spent over 1,000 hours volunteering at non-profit organizations. International affiliations with Luxury Portfolio International and Leading Real Estate Companies of the World ensure that Smith’s Tampa Bay listings attract a global audience.smithandassociates.com.
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